"

"Did General Alexis agree to a new nurse for that reason, Mildred?"
Barbara demanded in her driest manner.

But Mildred was too tired for further conversation.

"Oh, he was kind enough to say that I needed a rest more than he
required my services. Am I to have a bed or the cot in this sitting
room?"

"You may have them _all_, Mildred Thornton!" Barbara returned, getting
up on her feet and then bowing until her forehead almost touched the
floor.

"Any human being who is going to allow me to enter the presence of the
Czar and Czarina, has got to be treated like royalty for the rest of her
life."

Nevertheless, Barbara kissed Mildred good night. Mildred whispered,
"Don't be a goose," and then at last was permitted to retire.

CHAPTER XV

_The Winter Palace_

The next day Nona found opportunity for confiding to Mildred the fate of
Sonya Valesky. She found Mildred more deeply concerned than Barbara had
been. This was true because Mildred had a different nature; it was
easier for her to understand a temperament that would sacrifice
everything to its dream, than for the more practical and sensible
Barbara. Moreover, Barbara was so much in love these days that she
found it difficult to give a great deal of thought to other people.
She struggled against the tendency, but it is ever the vice of lovers.

Finally, on Thursday, Mildred Thornton received a note from General
Alexis inviting her and her two friends to come that afternoon at four
o'clock to the Winter Palace. And although the three girls were
Americans, they understood that such an invitation was not in reality
an invitation, but a command. For the Czar and Czarina had announced
that they would be pleased to meet the three American Red Cross nurses.

The meeting was to be informal, as these were war times and there were
no court levees. Indeed, the Czar was only staying for a brief time at
his palace before going to take command of his own troops. Owing to the
frequent Russian defeats in the past few months, the Czar had concluded
that he must command his men in person in order to give them greater
courage and steadfastness. The munitions of war, of which they had been
sadly in need for several months, were now pouring in from Japan and the
United States.

Of course, in the excitement and nervousness due to such an important
and unexpected occasion, the three Red Cross girls had the same problem
to settle that attacks all women at critical mom